A study asked more than 6,000 people across 40 counties to rate their mental state across 10 cognitive and emotional traits, including ‘calm’, ‘focused’ and ‘relaxed’.And despite England’s Euros success and the majority of lockdown restrictions lifting within weeks, the results indicate a general feeling of uncertainty.Mental health and movement expert Dr. Brendon Stubbs led the ASICS ‘State-of-Mind Index’ research which was commissioned by sports brand ASICS as part of a partnership with the mental health charity Mind.He believes the middling scores suggests a ‘feeling of trepidation’ across the nation, with ‘energised’ (54), ‘confidence’ (57) and ‘positivity’ (58) scoring the lowest across the country.He said: “Following 18 months of setbacks, restrictions and uncertainty, this has meant that the mood of the nation is understandably flat.“At a time where we are turning a corner with a more positive outlook, the nation is still currently apprehensive, and this is reflected in our general mental wellbeing.“The nation is clearly in need of an uplift and the summer of sport ahead has the power to give us all the boost we need.”All counties scored differentlyResidents of Warwickshire rated their mental state the highest of the 40 counties surveyed with a ‘State of Mind’ score of 63 out of 100.Berkshire, East Riding and Dorset-based respondents also scored highly.However, those in Nottinghamshire gauged their mental state the lowest with an average score of 54 out of 100, and 80 per cent admitted they could do with an uplift.Greater London placed 16th in the rankings of 40 counties, but people from Merseyside and Tyne and Wear were also towards the bottom of the pack.Gary Raucher, executive vice president at ASICS, added: “We’ve always believed in the positive impact of movement on the body and on the mind.“It’s our founding philosophy and its never meant more than right now.“We know the pandemic has put even more pressure on the mental wellbeing of many people and we’re committed to take action.“We’re keen to work with fantastic organisations such as Mind to support more people to move for their physical and mental wellbeing.”40 COUNTIES – AND THEIR OVERALL STATE-OF-MIND SCORE / 1001 Warwickshire - 632 East Riding of Yorkshire - 623 Berkshire - 614 Dorset - 615 Hertfordshire - 616 Derbyshire - 607 North Yorkshire - 608 Devon - 609 Somerset - 6010 Cheshire - 6011 West Midlands - 6012 West Yorkshire - 5913 East Sussex - 5914 Worcestershire - 5915 Lancashire - 5916 Greater London - 5917 Suffolk - 5918 Gloucestershire - 5919 Oxfordshire - 5920 Greater Manchester - 5921 Bedfordshire - 5922 Wiltshire - 5923 South Yorkshire - 5824 Hampshire - 5825 Cornwall - 5826 Norfolk - 5827 Cambridgeshire - 5828 Staffordshire - 5829 Lincolnshire - 5830 Leicestershire - 5731 West Sussex - 5732 Kent - 5733 Northamptonshire - 5734 Surrey - 5735 Buckinghamshire - 5736 Essex - 5737 Durham - 5638 Tyne and Wear - 5539 Merseyside - 5540 Nottinghamshire - 54
